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Budgeting for military lodging can be tricky when service members are counting the days their family might be without a home, all while waiting for their new house to become available during a PCS move.
However, there’s an inexpensive solution that changes the way military families travel. Start by investigating the thousands of rooms available on military installations and other military hotel alternatives.
The Popularity of Military Lodging
Timing and pre-planning are key to making the best use of military facilities. During the summer, many families make a PCS move or take a vacation, so make traveling plans in advance. While there are many military temporary lodging options available for PCS travel, the most popular locations are booked months ahead.
Since the fees are so reasonable, and military families can save money on lodging, military properties are often the first option they consider, partly due to the convenience of base amenities and pet-friendly policies.
During military relocation planning, there are many daily-life and recreational opportunities available on base near military lodging or MWR locations. Exchange and commissary visits save money, as does the leisure ticket office for excursions nearby. Emergency care and pharmacies are also available, if needed.
Some military travelers have concerns about storing their belongings in trailers or car storage units sitting overnight in hotel parking lots, but secure access to the base can alleviate these worries. It’s important to still unload irreplaceable items into a room each night.
Get more information for your upcoming PCS move with MWR travel and military lodging tips.
Central Contact Information for Military Lodging
For military lodging, each entity or service branch handles its policies differently, so it’s important to directly contact the facility to understand its fees, reservation priorities, and cancellation rules.
However, the DOW appears to be moving toward consolidating much of the branches’ lodging information on the Department of Defense Lodging website. The Defense Travel Management Office has additional information regarding the DOD Defense Lodging.
The website provides reservation help for the following:
- Air Force Inns
- Army Lodging
- Navy Gateway Inns & Suites
- Marine Corps select bases
- Marine Corps Community Services
- Inns of the Corps
- Navy Gateway Inns and Suites
- Navy Getaways RV Parks and Cottages
- Navy Lodge
The reservation process is usually easy, and so are the check-in and check-out processes. Those new to military temporary lodging should keep in mind that their stay will rarely be comparable to luxury hotel brands, but it’ll still solve short-term housing needs.
Typically, military lodging is available to these groups of travelers:
- Military and civilian travelers on official orders
- Army, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Federal Government, and DoD personnel on temporary duty
- Active duty military and families on official PCS move orders
- Active duty and their families requesting lodging on a space-available basis
- Military retirees and their families
- Widows/widowers/dependents of retired military personnel
- National Guard and Army Reserve members and their families
There are other circumstances where guests may qualify for stays, including medical patients and foreign military members.
This is an additional list of important phone numbers or websites for each military branch. Each facility is unique, and it’s essential to make direct contact so there’s no confusion upon arrival:
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American Forces Travel
In 2021, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy announced a discounted travel program for current and past service members.
American Forces Travel was developed between MWR travel offices and Priceline to offer military families alternative, affordable travel options. This program aims to expand hotel choices (including military lodging for veterans), and discounts are also available on rental cars, vacation packages, flights, cruises, and event tickets.
The website is open to all military branches, but service members must confirm their active duty status through a DEERS portal on the login page.
Armed Forces Recreation Centers
If a service member finds themselves overseas (or in Hawaii or Florida) for their next military relocation, the popular Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRC) may be a helpful resource, especially for those traveling on PCS orders and hoping to spend vacation time along the way.
AFRC locations offer resort-style settings with plenty of vacation experiences, whereas most standard military lodging is not intended for luxury stays. These properties provide great relief when traveling in a foreign country. Rates are reasonable because they rely on pay grade and rank.
Popular AFRC locations:
- Hale Koa Hotel in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Shades of Green in Orlando, Florida
- Edelweiss Lodge and Resort in Garmisch, Germany
- Dragon Hill Lodge in Seoul, South Korea
Although not officially part of the AFRC, The New Sanno in Tokyo, part of the joint Naval Services Activity, provides the same resort feeling when away from home. Service members can use these budget-friendly lodging options to relieve some of the complications and expenses of PCS and vacation travel.
Before booking, it’s always helpful to read online reviews or reach out to other military members who’ve stayed at the MWR locations or other military travel outlets to understand the details and nuances of the location being considered. They can describe if the place is pet-friendly, noisy, what to buy before arriving, and many more detail-oriented tips and travel hacks.
Using military temporary lodging options, making travel plans in advance, and reading reviews all help military families save time and money during their trips.
By Dawn M. Smith
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